Gear-shifting mechanism.



A. K. KUSEBAUCH.

FEAR SHIFTING MECHANSM. APPLICATION HLED mzca. 1914.

1,283,219. Patentd 0m. 29, 1918.

3 SHEETSSHEET I INVENTOR 2 14/7/00 /1. Kas bauch.

ATTORNEY WITNESSES A. K. KUSEBAUCH.

GEAR SHIFTING MECHANISM.

APPLICATIQN man DEC.4. 1914 1,283,219. Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

3 SHEETS- SHEEI 2- Fig.4

IN V E N T O R An fan/K Kosebouch A. K. KUSEBAUCH.

GEAR smrnwc MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILZD DEC-1,1914.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

3 SHEETSQSHEEI 3.

fllll/ h C U W N? W K K n m n A ATTORN EY UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANTON K. KUSEBAUCH, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING- HOUSE ELEGTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

GEAR-SHIFTING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

Application filed December 4, 1914. Serial No. 875,440.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ANTON K. Knsnnnucrr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Gear-Shifting lechanism, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to gear-shifting mechanisms and particularly to such mech anisms as are controlled by selective devices and are actuated by jtho usual clutch pedal to control the shiftable gear wheels of the transn'iission mechanisms of automobiles or other motor vehicles.

My invention has for one of its objects to providia mechanism of the character indicated above that simple in ronstruc-- tion and ell cient in operation to automatically return the shifted gear wheels to a neutral position before they can be adjusted for a ditlerent speed ratio.

A secOIld object of m i invention is to provide an arrangementv whereby power that is stored during the forward stroke of the clutch pedal lever is utilized to eli'ect the adjustment of the transmission mechanism for the selected speed ratio during the return stroke of the pedal lever.

In the operation of devices of the same general character as that of my invention, it is highly desirable that a means be provided for positively preventing the shifting of any of the transn'iission gear wheels for a different speed ratio until the gear wheel that has been previously shifted has been returned to a neutral position. It is desirable, also, that the return of the shifted gear Wheels to a neutral position and the shift ing of a second gear wheel for a. new speed ratio should occur on separate strokes of the clutch pedal in order that a time interval of any desired length may elapse between such operations. A time interval is essential in order that the speeds of the gear wheels to be meshed may be made sutlicicntly nearly equal to avoid (lashing of the respective tm-th when they are brought into engage- Intuit.

.\i -rording to the present invention, the clutch pedal lever may perform its normal functions without in any way affecting the transmission. mechanism. The selective mechanism may be set or adjusted at any time in advance of the actual change in speed ratio. Upon actuation of the clutchpedal lever position, the gear wheel shifted is an turned to its beyond its clutch-disengaging that has been tomatically and positively reneutral position, and power is ]ustine'nt of t he transmission mechanism for the selected speed ratio. In the accompanymg drawlngs, F gured is a view, partially in plan and part1ally in section, of a my invention attached porti n of an automobile with thereto. Fig. '2 IS a view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of th transmission mechanism of an automohil e and it related parts. Fig. 3

is a, plan view of the gcar-shifting mechanism. Fig. tion and part the mechanism of Fig. of Miriam details.

l is a view, partially in elevaially in longitudinal section, of Fig. 5 is a view Fig. l is a view, in transverse section, of the mechanism of Fig. 3.

in g. 7

is a diagrammatic \iCW of circuits and apparatus employml in connection with my invention.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 an automobile chassis t. only a portion of which is sho up, is provided with a gas ongine 5 having a fly wheel transmission a mechanism t Illill, l ('(lllll R and a conical ably mounted on the shaft a correspond formed in the fly wheel (1.

her 9 is (:onti lever 11. A

or rllangc-spccll gear mecham-tvd to the engine 5 by a shaft i-lulrh nmnln-r 9 that is slid- Q, to count with inglv shaped clutch member 10 The clutch memolled by the usual clutch-pedal spring 12 normally retains the clutch lever 11 in its rearward position with the clutch n n'iember 1t).

iember 9 engaging the clutch The lever 11 has a lost-motion connection to a link 13 which connects it to i a lever arm 1 4. of a gear-shifting mechanism indicated at 15.

The transmission mechanism 7 forms no part of my present invention but is so combined therewith that desirable in a description of it is order to explain the operation of the gear-shifting mechanism. The shaft 8, which is c onnected to the clutch member 9, extends into the transmission casing 16. A gear wheel 17, having two sets of gear teeth 18 and within the casing 16.

19, is mounted upon the shaft A transmission shaft 20, which is connected to the main transmission shaft 21 shaft 8.

, is in axial alinement with the The shaft 20 is adapted to be connected to the shaft a at different speed ratios by means of two near wheels 22 and 23 that are slidably keyed on the shaft 20, gear wheels Wand it? that are fixed upon a counter shaft 25 and an idler gear wheel 29 that is always in mesh with the gear wheel 21. The gear wheel 27 is always in mesh with the gear Wheel 17 to connect the shafts 8 and 28. The mechanism is arranged to provide three speeds in the forward and one in the reverse direction. The chan 'es in speed ratio are controlled by the slida e gear wheels 22 and :23 which are actuated by yoke members 30. The yoke members 30 respectively connect the gear wheels W and 23 to the shift rods 31 and 32 of the gear-shifting mechanism.

When the gear wheel is in mesh with the gear wheel 25, the mechanism is in it first or low-speed position, and the shaft 8 is connected through the gear teeth 19. gear wheel 27. counter shaft 28, and gear wheels 25 and 3:2 to the. transmission shaft 20. For the second or intermediate speed, the gear wheel 23 is shifted into mesh with the gear wheel 26. For the third or high speed, the gear wheel :23 is shifted to the right until internal gear teeth 33. with which the gear wheel 23 is provided. mesh with the gear wheel 17. The shaft 5 is then directly connected to the transmission shaft 20. and the latter is driven at engine speed. For driving in the reverse direct ion, the gear wheel 22 is shifted into mesh with the idler gear wheel 29. The transmission mechanism is illustrated in its neutral or inoperative position in which the shaft 20 is not connected to the counter shaft 28.

Referring now to Figs. 3. 4, 5 and 6, the gear-shifting mechanism 15 comprises a housing or casing, 34 of substantially roctangular shape. The shift rods 31 and areslidablv mounted in the end walls of the casing. our block members 35, a pair of which are slidably mounted on each of the shift rods 31 and 32, are connected for simultaneous actuation relatively -to the shift rods. Each of the blocks 35 is connected to the corresponding block upon the other shift rod by means of a ivotally mounted lever 36 which is provi ed with gear teeth to form a segmental gear wheel 37.

The two levers, which thus connect the blocks in wire, are operativcly connected through the segmental gear wheels 37. ()no of the levers 36 is mounted upon a shaft 38 which is connectwl to the pedal lever 11 by means of the arurM and the link 13. A coil spring 39, which surrounds the shaft 38, is connected at one end. to the lever36 and. at the other end, to the easing 34. An actuation of the pedal lever 11 beyond its clutch-disengaging position operates through the arm 14 and the segmental gear mechanism just described to actuate the block members 35 in opposite direc tions simultaneousl Each of the shit t rods 31 and 32 is provided with a pair of longitudinal grooves 41 into each of which extends a pin 42 that is carried by each of the. block members 35. Each of the shift rods 31 and 32 is provided, also, with a pair of recesses -14 upon its up per surface which are smaller in extent, both longitudinally and in depth, than the groove 41. Each of the block members 35 carries also ashort rock shaft 45. Each of the rock shafts 45 is cut away at an intermediate portion to form a recess 16, which, under certain conditions. permits free relative movement between the rock shaft 45 and the shift rods 31 and Each of the rock shafts 45 has a lever arm 47 integral with it. Normally. springs 48 retain the rock shafts .5 in the position illustrated. with the recesses 113 in such a position that the shafts 45 are without the path of movement of the corresponding shift rods 31 and 32.

Four elcctromagnets 49, 50, 51 and 52 are respectively mounted upon the side walls of the casing 34. Each electromagnet comprises a movable core member 53 that is secured to a stop member 51 which projects from the. magnet structure. The core members 53 are retained in their illustrated ositions by springs 51. When the win ings of the several electromagnets are energized, the stop members 54 project into the paths of movement of the arms 17. y

The electrical circuits for controlling the gear-shifting mechanism are illustrated in Fig. 7. The electrical connections comprise four parallel circuits each of which is controlled by push buttons that are respectively designated according to the s eed ratio which they control, by 1, 2, 3. (neutrall and R (reverse). The several push buttons are so interlocked that only one button can close its corresponding circuit at one time and this one remains closed until it is relcased by the actuation of another button The neutral button. however. is arrangedto" open as soon as released, after. actuation. The coils in the several electromagnets 49, 50, 51 and 52 are 'respectivelyin serieswith the push buttons for first. second and third speeds and for reverse operation. The neutral button operates simply to release any other button thathas been previously actuated. Each of the push buttons projects through a slot or opening in a latch member 57 and is provided with an inclined surface 58 for engaging the latch member. Each of the .push buttons, except the neutral button. is provided also with a notch 59 to be cngagcd by the latch member 57 when one of the push buttons has been fully depressed. A spring 60 tends to maintain the latch nu-mlwr in engageun-nt with the notch ol' the push button in operative position. Each of the push buttons is further provided with a wctlgeshaped projection 61 \\ltltll eoarts with a plurality of bars (52 to prevent more than one switch from occupying an operative position at one time. The total length of the bars 62 is such that two projections (ii cannot be inserted simultaneously between a corrt-spoiuling pair of bars. It will be readily understood that the actuation of one of the push buttons will operate to diwugage the latch member 57 and thus release any button that had been previously depressed.

.lt ma;- b assumed that the transmission gear mechanism is. in its neutral position, as illuhtratcd in Fig. 2, and that the gearshiftiug IllL'L'lHllllSlll Is in its corresponding normal or neutral position. In the normal po:i tion of the gear-shifting mechanism, the several block members $55 occupy the positions indicated by Full lines, Fig. It may be :lsxtlllleti. also that the engine has been started and that the engine clutch members 9 and 10 ;ll't' disengaged.

AH it is desirable to start the vehicle on lint, speed, the push button 1 is pressed to lose a circuit extending from the batter) through the push button 1. coil of electromagnet lit and limit switch .35 back to the battery. The stop member Si is accordingly actuated outwardly but is prevented from traversing its untirr path of movement bet'ttil t' it t'llgjtltfth the horizontal portion of the arm IT.

The tllli ll pedal lever 11 is then prcaaed forn'artil to actuate llll rod 13. to which it has a loet-nmtion vullllw'l'lmt. The lL'\'l'l' arm I l m'rordingly art natus the lever Ill to which it is directly connected and the other lever Zlfi to nhirh it is tUlllltCittl by means of the segmental gear wheels 37 sinulltaneously in opposite directions. The blocks 35 on the rods Ill and ll: are respectively actuated in- \rartllr and outwardly from their normai io ilioi1 During lhii movement. the pins l2. l'l etprocati' in the g'rom'us ll, and the stop lttiltiidd filoi the vlt-t'iromagneti l9 ll llH along the horizt'mtal portion oi the arm li'.

Win-n the pedal lore-r has roar-hell the cxtrcmity of its forward movement. the block members 35 and their connected parts are in their respective positions indicated by doticd lllitH (Fig. 3). The arm 47 has now pmuml beyond the stop member 54 of electron:agnct 4S) and the stop member is :u-tualcd outwardly into the path of more nirnt ol' the arm 47. The forward movement of the clutch lcirr operates through the Shaft IN and the rorreeponding lever 36 to place the s n-51w fiat tinder hueion.

Mmtnc i-iepuc any desired interval. the operator releases the clutch pedahnud the spring 39 operates through the lever 36 to return the block members 35 to their reepective normal positions. The stop member M of the electromagnet 49 almost immedi ately engages the corresponding arm 47 to oscillate the rock shaft and cause it to assume such a position thatv the end of the recessed portion 44 is engaged by it as the corresponding block member 35 is moved inwardly. The relative positions of the several parts when one of the rodsis engaged for shifting are clearly shown in Fig. 5. he Shift rod 31 is accordingly moved to the right, as shown, and the gear wheel 22 of the transmission mechanism is shifted into mesh with the gear wheel 25. When the gear wheels '22 and 25 are fully meshed, the limit switch may be opened by any suitable means to break the circuit established by the push button 1. The further return movement; of the pedal lever 11, which is permitted by the lost-motion connection, operates to effect the engagement of the clutch members 9 and 10, and the vehicle will accortlingl) be driven at first speed.

\V hen it is desired to change the speed ratio, as, for example, to second speed, the push button 2 may be pressed at any desired time in advance of the actual change. The coil of the clectromagnet 50, which is controlled by it, will not'be immediately energized because the limit switch 55 is in its open position. The operator then presses the pedal lever 11 to disengage the engine clutch. The rod 31, which is in its shifted positioin immediately engaged by the pin t) upon an inward movement of the c0rreepontling block member 35. The further actuation of the pedal lever 11, after the clutch is disengaged, accordingly operates to shift llll rod 31 to its neutral position.

AS above described, in connection with establishing the first speed. the spring 39 is plat-ed under tension by the forward movement of the clutch pedal. The limit switch 5.3 close-n upon a slight movement of the shift rod ill to return to its neutral position, and the coil of the i-it-ctromagnrt 50 is energized to pioimt llll stop member 54 outwardly into i-ug'iwoinrnt with tht corresponding arm t, 4]. A the extremity of the forward movement of the tlutbh-pcdal lever, the various parts again assume their respective dotted line positions.

The operator then reload-s the pedal lever 11. and the spring 39 operates. as above described, to Shift the rod 32 to the left us shonn and thereby mesh the great when] 23 with the gear wheel 26. The clutch members are then engaged as described above-in connection with first speed. Ih the same manner. changes may be'made to third speed,

or the direction of drive reversed. by actunting the appropriate push'buttons. It Wlll. of course, he understood flint, in order to isq reverse the direction of the vehicle, it is necessary to bring it to a stop before the driving connections are established.

hen it is desired to bring the transmis sion mechanism to an inoperative or neutral position, the push button N pressed to release sueh other button as may have been previously pressed. The clutch pedal is actuated as before to release the engine clutch members, and the corresponding pin h restores the shift rod 31 or 32, as the case may be, to its initial position. The return movement of the clutch pedal does not in any way affect the position of the shift rods or the gear wheels to which they are connected because neither of the electroimignets is ener gized to produce a change in the position of the several rock shafts $5.

The advantages of my invention are that a positive means is provided for returning the shift rods to their neutral positions whenever the clutch pedal is actuated beyond its clutch-disengaging position, and this action occurs regardless of the actuation of either of the push buttons. The shift rods are returned to their neutral positions and are arranged for a different speed ratio by separate strokes of the clutch pedal, thereby allowing a suflicient time interval for the gears to be meshed to have substantially equal speeds. Another important ad vantage consists in meshing the gear wheels by resilient means, thereby insuring that, if meshing does not occur immediately upon their engagement, such action will take place immediately upon the gear wheels assuming the correct relative positions.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a gear shifting mechanism, the combination with a pair of shift rods, and two pairs of relatively movable members for coacting with the respective rods, of means for simultaneously actuating said pairs of members respectively toward and away from corn tra l positions, and means on said members for engaging said rods.

2. In a gear shifting mechanism, the combination with a pair of shift rods, and two pairs of relatively movable members for coasting respectively with said rods, of means for simultaneously actuating said pairs of members respectively toward and away fro] n central positions, and selectively controlled means on said members for engaging said rods.

8. In a gear shifting mechanism, the combination, with a pair of shift rods, and two pairs of members movable longitudinally of said rods for coacting respectively with said rods, of a clutch lever, and means whereby movement of said clutch lever in one direction causes the members of each pair to move simultaneously m opposlte directions.

4. In a gear shifting mechanism, the combination with a pair of shift rods, and two pairs of movable members for coacting respectively with said rods, of a clutch lever, and means whereby movement of said clutch lever in one directirm causes said pairs of members to move respectively toward and away from central positions.

In a gear shifting mechanism, the combination with a pair of shift rods and. a. pair of members movable relatively thereto, of means carried by one of said members for shifting one of said rods in one direction from a neutral position when said member moves in one direction and means connected to the other of said members for shifting the other rod in the same direction from a neutral position when the second member is moved in the opposite directit-n.

G. In a geansliittiug mechanism. the combination with a pair of shift rods, and a pair of members simultaneously movable relati rely thereto in opposite directions, of means carried by one of said members for shifting one of said rods in one direction from a neutral position, and means connected to the other of said members for shifting the other rod in the same direction.

7. In a gearshifting mechanism, the com bination with a. pair of shiftrods, and two pairs of relatively movable members for coacting with the respective rods, of means for operatively connecting each of one pair of members with a corresponding member on the other rod for simultaneous movement in opposite directions.

8. In a gear-shifting mechanism, the combination with a pair of shift rods, and two pairs of relatively movable members for coacting with the respective rods, of means for operatively connecting each of one pair of members with a corresponding member on the other rod for simultaneous movement in opposite directions, said means comprising a pair of plvotally mounted members.

9. In a gear-sliit'tin mechanism, the combination with a pair 0 shift rods, and a pilir of relatively movable members for coacting with each of said rods, of means for operatively connecting each of one pair of members with a corresponding member on the other rod for simultaneous movement in opposite directions, said means comprising a pair of pivot-ally mounted members and gear mechanism for connecting said pivotally mounted members.

In testin'iony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 27th day of Nov.

ANTON K. KUSEBAUCH. Witnesses:

B. B. HINES,

M. C. MERZ. 

